Load bearing pack systems have been used for years in a variety of roles, including hunting, expedition, camping, military and police activities. The pack systems for each of these activities have developed into specialized designs unique to the particular activity. The pack systems for each activity have to take into consideration several features and requirements specific to each activity. Some of these features and requirements include firearm transportation, camouflage, noise creation, and the need to carry situation-specific accessories.
The primary means of carrying a shoulder arm, such as a rifle, has been a shoulder sling. As firearm use has developed, the shoulder sling has failed to keep up with the needs of modern hunters, police, and military personnel. One reason is that a shoulder sling positions the firearm in an awkward position on a person's back. From this position, the firearm must be swung off the shoulder, brought to the front of the body, and both hands must be repositioned on the firearm before the firearm can be raised to the shoulder for firing. Also, when a shoulder sling is used with any sort of backpack, the positioning of the pack tends to push the sling from the shoulder, especially during any type of brisk movement. With certain types of packs, i.e., those with shoulder lift features, the use of a shoulder sling carried on the shoulder is very inconvenient if not impossible. Using a shoulder sling also make it very difficult to crawl, or use both hands for climbing, especially when combined with a backpack. In addition, the shoulder sling also leaves the rifle unprotected on the user's back, making it vulnerable to bumps and jolts, which can disrupt the optical sighting device, or even more seriously damage the gun.
The use of a shoulder sling also places the entire load of the firearm on the user's shoulder. As firearms become heavier (for enhanced accuracy and reduced recoil), carrying them on a shoulder sling can be uncomfortable, awkward and tiresome, especially when combined with a backpack.
It is critical that both hands are kept free for full freedom of use while keeping the firearm conveniently located for quick use, protecting the optical sighting device, and especially when used in combination with carrying other gear, such as in a backpack.
With respect to load bearing systems, such as backpacks, many are designed for a particular purpose in mind. For instance, for hunting applications, most users have been limited to choosing between a brightly colored or blaze orange backpack and a camouflage backpack. A blaze orange backpack is undesirable where concealment is needed, and camouflage backpack may be undesirable, or illegal in certain hunting situations. Additionally, users have been required to choose between stealth and durability, between reduced noise and weatherproof performance. Backpacks made of strong, weatherproof material such as nylon, are inherently noisy, such as when contacted by foliage. Backpacks made of quiet material, such as pile or fleece, have had to sacrifice durability and foul-weather performance because these "quiet" materials are not as strong or weatherproof as nylon.
The versatility of situation-specific accessories, such as cargo platforms, seats, hand warmers, and add-on pouches have served only a single function, which reduces the versatility of any load carrying device. Certain of these features can be an advantage, depending on the particular activity.
It is with the shortcomings of the prior art in mind that the modular load bearing field support system of the present invention has been developed.